Random ways to become a power-saver

Photo by ladyhawke365

Saving money around your home is easy if you have just a little bit of discipline and a lot of drive. The money that can be put back into your pocket is considerable when done even over a very short period of time. I myself have mandated just six items thus far on this list, and have saved over $250.00 per month beginning last April. You don’t have to look any further than your home to implement just a few of these tips and the dividends will pay themselves back in spades in no time. Without lamenting about the high cost of just about everything today, recession or not, I would like to let my readers know that you came through once again. I asked for help and you delivered.
This article is a collection of comments and emails I received when I asked my readers how they make their money extend further.
Now…on to what you’ve been waiting for.

-Buy your produce at a farm stand if one is available.
-Never buy drinks or snacks other than in the grocery store of choice.
-Always shop with a list.
-Keep a price list on your most popular items and carry with you when shopping.
-ONLY take advantage of sales on products that you need.
-Keep a price journal and track prices by their unit cost.
-Build up a stock on staples when their prices are low.
-Buy generic whenever possible and save big.
-Plan your meals around what is on sale that particular week.
-Use rainchecks if the store is out of a sale item that you want.
-Take advantage of rebates only if you will follow through on them.
-Sales generally come every 12 weeks so buy enough of the item to last you that long.
-Shop at discount stores of every kind: The Dollar Store, etc.
-Take advantage of double coupons.
-Eat less meat and you’ll stay thinner and healthier and so will your wallet.
-Eat leftovers.
-Scrape out food jars.
-Here’s a simple one: Cook from scratch.
-Avoid eating out.
-Brown bag it.
-Eat less. (We all eat too much and that’s why America is obese)

-Avoid the vending machines at work.
-Get inventive with leftovers. Waste not/want not.
-Plan most of your meals around rice or beans.
-Drink water! Not soda.
-Make your own jello cups (or applesauce cups, or pudding cups) for lunches and snacks. Jello cups are currently $3.00 for a pack of eight where I live. A package of do-it-yourself is .99 for .5 oz.
-Start a vegetable garden. No room? Try a tiered square foot garden from the ground up.
-Always take a snack and bottle of water wherever you go.
-Cook with the crockpot in the summer.
-Use a convection oven in the summer as well.
-Run your errands once a week and make use of the most proficient route.
-Bike to work.
-Stay home. Turn your home or patio into a zen garden. Watch movies outdoors.
-Keep automobile tires properly inflated and cut gas waste by 10% or more.
-Don’t stop or accelerate suddenly.
-Carpool.
-Go diesel on your next vehicle.
-Coast up to a red light, instead of thumping the brakes.
-Use your public transportation if available.
-Sell your second car. Buy a motorcycle or scooter with carrying racks and have fun!
-If you have one car that you only hardly ever drive, get rid of it and start using cabs.
-Drive your car until it dies. This beautifully when you buy a car that will run for 150,000 miles or more.
-Follow your car’s maintenance schedule.
-Turn your car off at long stop lights.
-Coast whenever you can.
-Limit your city driving.
On a long trip, use the cruise control.

-Use a discount cards to pay for gas. (lots of grocery stores recommend them, as well as good old Costco).
-Fill your tank up in the morning when the air is cool, and the gasoline is dense. You’ll get more fuel and less air.
-Fill up your vehicles tank when it is half empty.
-Shop around for Auto and homeowners insurance. The rates can vary tremendously!
-Kill every electrical appliance at the wall every night. Place everything on power strips .
-Keep lights off during the daylight hours.
-Line dry clothes whenever possible.
-Air dry dishes after the dishwasher cycle.
-Cancel cable television and switch to Hulu and other free online services. (Requires a pc)
Use CFL light bulbs.

-Turn down the thermostat. (Buy a programmable and program it!)
-Open windows on summer nights and use those ceiling fans.
-Use a fan.
-Get rid of the land line and use a cell phone or magic jack.
-Take shorter showers.
-Insulate all water pipes.
-Install low flow showerheads and aerators.
-Turn off the computer when you’re away from it.
-Use motion detector nightlights that only come on when it’s dark.
-Use nightlights in the bathroom.
-Turn the water off while brushing your teeth.
-Ask your doctor to prescribe generic medication.
-Buy generic medication at Walmart or Target for $4.00.
-Curtail clothes shopping and buy at thrift and discount stores..
-Shop garage sales for the hidden gems but get there early.
-Sew, using discount fabric (easy to find at garage sales).

-Use rechargeable batteries for everything.
-Do home repairs yourself.
-Reuse things. Such as those plastic grocery and laundry bags. .
-If you’ve bought stuff that you haven’t used, see if you can return it.
-Find a roommate.
-Flush the toilet only after 2-3 uses.
-Use kitchen rags in lieu of paper towels.
-Cancel magazine subscriptions and use the library.
-Use the library and read newspapers online.
-Order from the dollar menu when eating out.
-Go to the park and have a picnic.
-Entertain at home.
-Get haircuts every 6-12 weeks, instead of every 4 weeks.
-Learn how to cut your own hair.
-Do your own manicures
-Collect your spare change and deposit it.
-Get rid of un-needed objects. It costs less to maintain.
-Sell it on eBay or Craigslist.
-Don’t watch TV. It contributes to short term attention deficit disorder and cuts down on desires.
-Trash the TV (Even better)
-Use a fee free credit card with rewards. Charge everything but pay it off.
-Pay off debt as fast as achievable.
-Use cash (Simple but effective as a cardinal rule.)

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